Bethesda Softworks has just dropped news that they will be publishing Prey 2, sequel to the popular 2006 game. Prey 2 is scheduled for release in 2012 and will be available for Windows PC, PS3, and Xbox 360. Further details on the game will be revealed in the May issues of Official Xbox Magazine and PlayStation: The Official Magazine, as well as in magazines throughout Europe.
Prey 2 is being developed by Human Head Studios, a development team which was formed back in 1997 by a group of ex-Raven Software developers. Human Head studios produced the first Prey title under the executive production of 3D Realms, a publisher/developer which is now barely clinging to life after hitting the financial skids. In typical 3D Realms fashion, the first Prey had been in some form of development for eleven years, eventually being outsourced to Human Head.
Zenimax Media acquired the rights to the Prey back in 2009, sparking rumours that a sequel was in the works. As Zenimax also owns id Software, Prey 2 is “being built on the cutting edge id tech engine from id Software,” as reads the press statement. One can assume that ‘cutting edge’ refers to the id Tech 5 3D engine which will make its major platform debut when id Software releases Rage in September 2011.
“We are thrilled to be working with Bethesda on Prey 2,” said Chris Rhinehart, project lead. “Prey 2 will provide gamers the opportunity to explore a new facet of the Prey universe, one that offers fast-paced action in an open, alien world. We’re excited to show gamers the title we have been working on and hope they will be as excited by this title as we are.”
The first Prey game told of the adventures of American Indian Cherokee born Domasi “Tommy” Tawodi. Tommy struggles to accept his heritage but later in the game his supressed spiritualism will aide him. The game begins when Tommy, his Girlfriend Jen and Grandfather Enisi are abducted by aliens and transported into a massive alien sphere orbiting the Earth.
Domasi ‘Tommy’ Tawodi
The mysterious sphere houses a star at its core and it appears sentient and driven to maintain itself. It travels the galaxy abducting various alien species and either uses them as a food source or cybernetically modifies them to do it bidding and maintenance work.
The human captives are being transported through the sphere to be used as a food source. Tommy escapes through the intervention of another of the sphere’s denizens, part of a resistance group fighting against the sphere. Tommy witnesses the death of Enisi, has a near death experience himself, and is then guided through the spirit world by Enisi, who unlocks his latent spirit walking powers. Tommy embarks on a mission to rescue Jen, and along the way learns more of the sphere’s origins and motivations.
Tommy eventually confronts the ‘Mother’ of the sphere, who reveals that she was once human, and took the place of the previous sphere mother. After battling and defeating Mother, Tommy is begged to take over control of the sphere. Tommy struggles with the overwhelming experience of being consumed by the sphere, but through the spiritual guidance of Enisi, he steers the sphere into the sun. Tommy and the other sphere resistance fighters manage to escape back to Earth through portals before the sphere is consumed.
Back on Earth, the sequel is set up when Tommy is visited by the human survivors of the sphere who tell him that although the people of Earth don’t know about his great deed, there are those “elsewhere” that have taken notice. A portal is opened and Tommy is invited through it, and the words “Prey will continue…” close out the game.
Prey 1 screenshot
Prey was praised for its use of numerous innovative gameplay concepts. The use of fixed portals added complexity to FPS shooting and puzzle solving, coupled with the fact that Tommy could use his spiritual self to bypass force fields and other obstacles to solve puzzles. There was also variable gravity which allowed players to traverse all of the 3D planes on special paths. Using Tommy’s spirit-self players could discover paths not visible to the mortal eye.
It will be interesting to see how these gameplay elements are reintroduced and what new concept Human Head can come up with. The continuation of Tommy’s story will also be of interest to the fans of the original title.
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